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ST. LOUIS, MO — A 16-year-old was fatally shot early Friday morning during a string of vehicle break-ins in the Carondelet neighborhood, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. in the 6300 block of Vermont Avenue, near Holly Hills Avenue. Police said the teen, identified as Aeyion Barnett of St. Louis, was among a group of suspects who exited a dark-colored vehicle and began breaking into multiple cars. Neighbors reported that at least six vehicles were targeted.

Home surveillance footage captured the group moving from car to car. Disturbingly, witnesses reported that one suspect acted as a lookout, pointing a gun at nearby homes to deter anyone from intervening.

A resident, hoping to scare the suspects away, reportedly fired two warning shots into the ground from his backyard. In response, the suspects returned fire toward the resident, and during the exchange, Barnett was struck in the head.

His accomplices transported him to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where he later died. Police stated that the same vehicle may have been involved in additional break-ins earlier that morning outside the city.

“This neighborhood is very safe,” one resident said. “But this has happened several times over the past eight months. It’s shocking.”

The death of the teen marks the first homicide in the Carondelet neighborhood this year. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the St. Louis Homicide Division or CrimeStoppers.

This tragic case highlights several critical points in defensive gun use. First, while the urge to confront suspects breaking into a vehicle is understandable, it’s important to remember that such situations can quickly escalate. In this case, the suspects were armed and had stationed lookouts with firearms—underscoring the real and present danger. Second, firing warning shots, although intended to deter, often has the opposite effect. Here, it escalated the situation, leading to an exchange of gunfire that could have injured or killed innocent bystanders. Fortunately, no residents were harmed, but this incident is a sobering reminder of the risks involved in engaging with unknown threats.